Bonifacio Global City has become one of the “it” places to go to enjoy a night on the town. With all the possible places and options to go to when out with friends, it’s hard to find that one place to just relax and enjoy the ambiance of your food, drinks, and company. Fortunately, in the small stretch at The Forum, lies Pablo’s Pub, a joint named after the infamous drug lord, Pablo Escobar, that combines the fun with drinks, good food, and the atmosphere of 19th century class.

Entering the pub, you’ll immediately see and feel a very masculine ambiance. Like most joints that cater to the night scene, the lighting is dim and relaxing. The whole place has a very dark, black, and woody scheme in its interior, while its furnishing of wood traps, glass chandeliers and leather give it a Gentleman’s Club-like vibe. Despite its very mature setting, however, the pub hosts pop and club music that cater to even the youngest of legal drinkers, providing a classy way of enjoying the nightlife for yuppies, big spenders, and party-goers. The pub has a secret, quaint room called the ‘Glenlivet Room’ where groups can enjoy their time with friends privately.

For starters, the Chicharon Bulaklak is a staple choice for avid patrons of the restaurant, and for good reason. The dish comes with a vinegar, lemon and chili dip, which adds a sour, spicy zing to the appetizer. The servings are huge and satisfying, while the ruffle fat is crispy on the edges and those near the center are soft to perfection.

The very plate that would define the heart of the restaurant is the Half Pounder, an all-grounded beef burger topped with American cheddar and the resto’s own burger sauce. The meat oozes with flavor as the fats and oils drip out on every bite, while the crunchiness and freshness of the veggies provide a nice contrast to the soft, greasy beef. The dish comes with a bunch of fries, sprinkled with paprika powder, giving the usual salty treat an extra spicy kick.

For dessert, a must try is the Big Heist: a soft, large chocolate-chip cookie topped with vanilla ice-cream and decorated artfully with golden sugar floss. What’s so heavenly about this dish is how everything on it melds so well together. The warmth of the cookie slowly melts the vanilla, while the wetness of the ice-cream forces the sugar floss to mix in with all the flavors and colors, giving you a dish that gets sweeter as you devour it.

The gastropub is situated in the second floor at The Forum. 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City (BGC), open daily from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. If you’re looking for quaint place to drink with colleagues, have a private session watching a game while munching away delicious food with college buddies, or just want to zone-out and bask in the music and the ambiance of good interior, Pablo’s Pub should be your staple option.

Photo by Gerard Del Mundo